Jo Radde

Jo Radde passed away on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at the age of 86. She was born May 3, 1937, in Kentucky, to Hazel (Bobbie) and Scobee Walden. Bobbie remarried William (Bill) Hessel, in 1946. Bill’s job took the family to Panama during Jo’s younger years, then on to Phoenix, Arizona. There, Jo volunteered as a singer with the USO, where she met her first husband, Bob Darby. They married in 1957.

While Bob served in the Navy, based in San Diego, Jo gave birth to a daughter Randi. Daughters Tracey and Kelly were born after Bob left the service. Then, in 1962 they moved to Santa Barbara, CA, soon after they settled into a home in Goleta, where Jo rooted herself.

She was remarried in 1982 to Horst Radde, a horticulturist, who introduced her to the joy of gardening. She loved her flowers & fruit trees, especially, her roses, that she spent many hours pruning. She also found time to do a little fishing, hiking, and, of course, music. She joined a choral group at Goleta Community Center where she continued to use her marvelous voice. She had a pretty good scorecard on her bowling team, too. She was an avid reader but also enjoyed watching old movies, especially musicals. She also truly enjoyed the neighbors who always stopped to chat with her when she was out gardening in the front yard.

After 20 years of overseeing contracts and grants for the physics professors (the highlight of her career), Jo retired from the UCSB Physics Department.

She is survived by her sister Vicki Hessel, a brother Richard Hessel, and three daughters, Randi, Tracey, and Kelly. Four grandchildren, Samantha, Nicholas, Ryan, and Lauren. She also leaves five great-grandchildren (one boy and four girls). She was a loving mother, grandma, gg-ma. She is already greatly missed.

The children of Jo Radde would like to thank Katerina, Anton, and the Salisbury staff for providing warm loving compassionate care to our mom. Our mom loved all animals great and small but especially cats & giraffes. In place of flowers, please donate to the Santa Barbara Humane Society or the animal rescue of your choice. A family celebration of her life will be held at a later date.